Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation, Carlsbad Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO A81), reached after 7 half-moves: 1. d4 f5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nh3.

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Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation, Carlsbad Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code A81. ECO group A (A00–A99) covers flank and irregular openings, including the English, Bird, Réti and Dutch defences. This particular variation is reached after 7 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 f5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nh3.

It belongs to the Dutch Defense family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Leningrad Variation → Carlsbad Variation line). The immediate parent line is Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation, transitioned via 4.Nh3.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 f5, 2.g3 g6, 3.Bg2 Bg7, 4.Nh3. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.